Farming
as an activity contributes nearly 1/6th of our Gross Domestic
Product and a majority of our population is dependent on it for their livelihood.
Deteriorating soil health has been a cause of concern and that has been leading
to sub optimal utilization of farming resources. Imbalanced use of
fertilisers, low addition of organic matter and non-replacement of depleted
micro and secondary nutrients over the years, has resulted in nutrient
deficiencies and decrease in soil fertility in some parts of the country

Soil
health needs to be assessed at regular intervals so as to ensure that farmers
apply the required nutrients while taking advantages of the nutrients already
present in the soil.

Government
has launched a scheme to provide every farmer a Soil Health Card in a Mission
mode. The card will carry crop wise recommendations of nutrients/fertilizers
required for farms, making it possible for farmers to improve productivity by
using appropriate inputs.

Central
Government provides assistance to State Governments for setting up Soil Testing
Laboratories for issuing Soil Health Cards to farmers. State Governments have
adopted innovative practices like involvement of agricultural students, NGOs
and private sector in soil testing, determining average soil health of
villages, etc., to issue Soil Health Cards.

A Soil
Health Card is used to assess the current status of soil health and, when used
over time, to determine changes in soil health that are affected by land
management. A Soil Health Card displays soil health indicators and associated
descriptive terms. The indicators are typically based on farmers' practical experience
and knowledge of local natural resources. The card lists soil health indicators
that can be assessed without the aid of technical or laboratory equipment.

Though
quite a few states including Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Haryana
are successfully distributing such cards, Centre plans to make it a pan India
effort. According to the data, up to March 2012 over 48 crore soil health cards
have been issued to farmers to make them aware about nutrient deficiencies in
their fields. Tamil Nadu has started issuing soil health cards from the year
2006 onwards. There are 30 Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs) and 18 Mobile Soil
Testing Laboratories functioning in the State. The Laboratory at Kudumianmalai,
Pudukottai District has been declared as central laboratory and it monitors
quality of analysis in all laboratories.

Tamil Nadu
Agricultural University has developed software – DESSIFER which is used by the
STLs for online issue of soil heath cards and also in formulating fertilizer
use recommendations.